Coffee Ride to Forage & Gather

The Ride

My destination today was in the Catskill mountains, to Forage & Gather in the hamlet of Mountain Dale, New York, in Sullivan County. Forage & Gather is part of the Upstate Coffee Crawl series. The Beeline to get there is just 56 miles, but I never hope to be riding the BMW S1000R on straight roads. See our article on discovering new roads with Beeline.

I hit a number of the reservoir roads in Westchester & Putnam counties on the east side of the Hudson River before heading north on Route 9, connecting west on Route 403, and then back south to the Bear Mountain Bridge on Route 9D.

The roads by Bear Mountain and West Point are still closed from the summer rains, so my hope to break off 6 to 293 and grab 218 was dashed, forcing a backtrack onto Route 6 again.

After a quick refill in Chester, I got off Route 6 onto some backroads. It’s still a populated area, so a few bouts on some more crowded roads, like 17K, were expected. At Wurtsboro, I turned onto Route 209, heading roughly northeast. Shortly after getting onto Route 209, I passed the Wurtsboro Airport (N82), a small airfield with a large glider community. It is believed to be the oldest operating glider airport in the country.

The roads continued to improve and led to some winding roads that improved as I approached my destination. A couple more backtracks were needed as I took a turn that ended up turning back on itself, something not unusual as one climbs toward the Catskill Mountains and the roads need to navigate the terrain.

One of those was somewhat fortunate as I passed the remains of the Homowack Lodge. Once a popular destination for New York City residents to get out into the country, it declined in popularity like many Catskills resorts part of “The Borscht Belt” in the 1960s. Sold several times to various owners, none could get it reopened successfully. Now, the remnants are popular with urban spelunkers.

Arriving in Mountain Dale via Mountain Dale Rd proved spectacular as the road for several miles is a perfect twisting road following a river. Like many other Catskill area towns, Mountain Dale has a main drag offering shops. Forage & Gather was right on the main street and a welcome sight after the 121 miles recorded by Rever aboard the BMW S1000R. See the route below.

REVER is a mobile app designed to help you track, plan, or navigate your ride. With the app, you can easily plan your route, view maps and directions, and track your distance using GPS technology. The app is an excellent tool for anyone who loves to ride and wants to keep track of their progress and distance.

The Coffee Shop

Mountain Dale is at the foot of the Catskill Mountains in Sullivan County, about 2 hours from NYC if you use highways. With the appeal of many outdoor activities in the area, several accommodations are available, ranging from A-frame chalets to tiny houses, bell tents, and geodesic domes. A rail trail is nearby, so bicycle rentals are also available in the town.

As you enter the coffee shop, an entryway has doors to either side. To the left is a wine room, while to the right heads to the main section of Forage & Gather. Each table had a unique set of kitschy chairs, adding to the atmosphere. Further, the main counter with the coffee-making apparatus was my ultimate goal. Behind the counter is an area labeled “Book Disorder,” on the other side are shelves with several options of goods available for purchase.

Coffee options ranged from drip coffee to typical espresso-based drinks like latte and cappuccino. They also offer an assortment of smoothies

A full kitchen with options like pancakes and breakfast sandwiches filled the breakfast options, while burgers, grilled cheese, and falafel were some of the lunch options. Catering is also available, and a small curio shop has various unique items to bring home, from books to candles.

The Refreshments

The friendly staff took my order for an americano and one of the homemade chocolate chip cookies. Asked if I was staying or taking out, I replied that I was staying and was rewarded with a proper ceramic mug holding my coffee. The americano was at a perfect temperature and had no hint of either sourness or bitterness. It was a great cup of coffee, worthy of a 120-mile ride to get it.